Waltz: A Story in Three Steps
by tiffo the chicken flea
Summary: Mai needs to learn to dance for her first formal function and Gene knows just whom she should ask. Written for the 2016 Ghost Hunt exchange.
1. One

_**This was written for the 2016 Ghost Hunt Exchange weekend. With the Prompt:** **Something with Naru, Mai, and Gene. Interactions familial/friendly/romantic.**_

* * *

 _ **ONE.**_

"1-2-3. 1-2-Ow."

Mai didn't bother hiding the grimace as she stepped back from Gene who was now shaking his stomped foot.

"Sorry." Mai said again.

"It's alright. You're learning, it is to be expected." Gene gave his neck a quick stretch and rolled his shoulders. He smiled when he saw Mai mimicking his actions, but to a smaller degree.

"You ready to give it another shot?" Gene asked holding his arms out.

Mai deflated slightly, "This is pointless." She said as she crossed her arms and turned away from Gene to stare out into the nothingness that made up the astral plane. "I still don't see why I even have to go."

"Patron dinners are very important in this business. There is no way you can charge clients enough to cover the expenses associated with running the business all the time. So you have to rely on the generous support of patrons. And if you want them to open their wallets you better be ready to impress."

Mai started to chuckle.

Gene frowned at her, "What? It really is the truth of it."

Mai stifled a final titter and turned back to Gene.

"Did they make you memorize that?" Mai asked. "Naru said practically the exact same thing when he first told me about the dinner. I told him it sounded ridiculous."

Gene blushed. "Not verbatim. But you hear something often enough and it just sort of sticks."

Mai's smirk only grew.

"You are being a cheat." Gene said pointing an accusatory finger in Mai's direction. "You asked me to teach you to dance and now you keep finding excuses not to dance. Come back over here and let's start boogying." Gene gave his hips a slight explanatory wiggle.

"I don't think anyone would call the waltz, boogying." Mai countered as she approached him.

"Well, I agree. And I would rather teach you something a bit more modern. But it's expected that the hosts handle the first dance and tradition dictates a waltz."

Mai's eyebrow shot up. "The _what_? I'm not the host."

Gene's own eyebrow rose to counter her's. Gene took Mai's hands in his own and lifted them into position.

"If we were back home Martin and Luella would have hosted. But if everyone is coming to Japan." He paused and Mai nodded in clarification. "Well, then as the head of the Japanese branch it stands to reason to say that Noll is hosting."

Gene lifted his chin and straightened his back. Mai followed suit. Ready to hear him start counting again.

"One." Gene brought his left foot forward as Mai sent her right back in a parallel motion.

"Two." Mai's left foot moved out and back.

"Three." Mai's right foot slid to the side to meet the left.

"Good. 1-2-3." He continued to count as they moved back and forth in the rectangle of their steps. "Let's keep this pace. 1-2-3. But I am going, 1-2-3, to stop counting. 1-2-3."

Mai eye's widened and she gave the smallest shake of her head. She worried that any greater effort of rebuttal would break her hard won concertation.

"Yes, Mai." Gene continued. "1-2-3. You can't have your partner, 1-2-3, count for you the whole time. In fact, you will even be expected to engage in conversation whilst you dance."

Mai paled at the thought.

"I don't think that's even possible." She said.

"No, I could see how that might be difficult for you." Gene was grinning again.

"It's not funny Gene. I won't be able to talk to someone while I dance."

"Of course not. Not like right now."

"No, right now we are-" Mai nearly lost her rhythm as she noticed that they had not yet stopped moving. But she caught up and pulled her right foot back just as Gene's left began to bump into her.

"I can't believe I am doing it." Mai beamed.

"So you ready to try quarter turns then?"

"Oh no. How about we do this for a little while longer."

Gene nodded and they continued in silence for a few moments more, until Mai decided to test the talking and dancing strategy once more.

"That still doesn't explain why I would have to dance." Mai said.

"What?" Gene asked.

"You said Naru was hosting the party, but why would that mean I would have to dance the first dance? Does everybody have to dance?"

"No, it's the hosts' dance." Gene reminded her.

"Uh huh."

"So," Gene swallowed and looked away. "It's danced by the hosting… couple. Oww." The pair split apart and Gene squatted down to rub his trampled foot.

"The _what_?" Mai swayed in her spot. Her body still expecting the rhythmic motion of her steps.

"The same spot." Gene whined. "How do you always hit the same spot?"

"Sorry." Mai said, but then her eyes narrowed. "No, not sorry! What do you mean couple? Naru and I are _not_ a couple."

"Why do I feel pain? This isn't even a physical body." Gene continued, distracted by the throbbing of his frequently assaulted appendage.

"Gene. Serious questions here!" Mai interrupted.

"What?" He asked, looking back up at her.

"What, what? Why would you think that I was half of this hosting couple thing?"

"Well it makes sense." Gene said, deciding that he could try standing again.

"It makes the opposite of sense." Mai countered.

"Look, as the host Noll needs to have a date for the dinner. Who else would he be able to go with, Lin?"

"Da-date?" Mai's eyes were starting to gloss over.

"I mean I guess he could ask that pretty, traditional girl you guys hang around with. What was her name?"

"Naru would never ask Masako." Gene smirked and Mai colored at the quickness of her own reply. "I mean, she's too high profile. She would steal some of the attention away from him."

"I can't say that I've ever thought of Noll as attention seeking." Gene replied.

"Of course, that Narcissist would want all eyes on him." Mai said.

"We are talking about my brother, right? Tall, astoundingly handsome," Gene gave Mai a quick wink, which she met with an exaggerated eye roll, before continuing. "Rather quiet—"

"Completely self-absorbed." Mai interjected.

"Socially uncomfortable." Gene corrected.

"A slave driver." Mai offered.

"Goal focused." Gene countered.

"Nit-picky."

"Detail oriented."

"Rude."

Gene thought for a moment. "Yeah, that one is true. But you know what else Noll is?"

"I can think of a few things." Mai said darkly.

"The better dancer."

Mai's head snapped back to look at Gene.

"Naru? Naru is a good dancer? I can hardly believe he can even dance."

"He had to take the same lessons I did."

Mai thought for a moment. "But," Mai hesitated. "There's so much…" Mai held out a hand and pressed it against the air.

"Touching?" Gene supplied.

Mai nodded.

"I think that's why he got so good. Luella said we could stop going to lessons once we could prove we knew the basics. I caught Noll spinning though his room more than once."

Mai tilled her head.

"After I think it was two classes, he had memorized the pattern of the steps and mentally stored the images of the correct postures. I would wake up in the middle of the night and I would find him. The furniture all pushed to the side. And Noll would be flowing across the room like a leaf caught in contradicting jet streams. By the time we went for the third class Noll demanded to take and subsequently passed the tests for all of the basic dances. And I had to spend the next nine weeks going to class on my own."

"I had no idea Naru liked to dance so much." Mai said.

Gene started laughing, hard. Clutching his side.

"What?" Mai asked.

Gene let out a few more guffaws before taking a deep breath and returning to his natural state of good natured amusement.

"Noll doesn't love dancing." Gene said his face pinched in barely restrained amusement.

"But you just said—"

"I said he worked extra hard to practice dancing on his own so that he didn't have to spend nine more classes with some random girl touching him." Gene shook his head. "Love dancing? No Noll hates dancing. It's an obvious waste of time. And like any kind of physical contact dancing can trigger—" Gene stopped himself. "It doesn't matter."

Gene turned back to Mai and smiled again. Mai was somewhat surprised to see Gene deploying Naru's signature distraction technique. A false smile that never reached the eyes.

"The whole learning to dance thing is just another example of how stubborn Noll is." Gene finished kicking at what served as the ground on this plane.

"So, tell me again why you think Naru and I are going to be dancing? Why wouldn't he just get out of it?" Mai asked hoping to help dispel whatever had just rankled him so.

"He sure knows all kinds of ways to get out of dancing at parties, but he also knows better than to try to skip something like that when he is hosting his first patron dinner."

"And why me?" Mai asked again. She still found Gene's logic path to be more than a little shaky on the subject.

"And that," Gene replied, that mischievous twinkle finally reappearing in his eye. "Would be a fantastic question for my brother."

* * *

Parts two and three are done. I will post a chapter a day. Thanks ;)


	2. Two

_**TWO.**_

Oliver stretched his arms over his head and rolled his neck. He took a quick glance at the window behind him. The sun was visible just above the tops of the city. How long had he been in this chair? When had he last gotten a cup of tea?

He contemplated calling Mai to make a cup, but decided he needed to stretch his legs. Besides she would hear him better if he asked from the doorway and he would have the added gratification of watching her pout as she got to work.

He stopped in front of the mirror to re-tuck a portion of his shirt that had come loose with his stretch.

Running a hand through his hair he was about to leave when he noticed something.

His reflection smirked at him.

Oliver felt the corner of his own lip give the smallest of curves. With a step forward he brought his hand to the glass. The coolness of its surface seeping in where it pressed against his fingertips.

 _Don't you want to know who the fairest of them all is?_ The refection asked.

 _Don't be an idiot, Gene._ Oliver responded through their link, but his smile grew.

Oliver waited for his brother to explain the 'visit', but Gene just smiled back.

 _Why are you here Gene?_

Gene scoffed. _Well it is great to see you too, Noll._

 _You know what I mean. It cannot be easy for you. You must be here for a reason._ Oliver retorted.

Hearing and feeling his brother in his mind, brought back to Oliver just how empty it had felt in his own head these last few years.

The feeling wasn't something Oliver had been able to pin down right away.

More like a constant nagging that he was missing something. A hollow feeling that he couldn't put a name to. At times he had even found himself reaching out with mental fingers, grasping in the darkness. Those moments had faded in frequency over time.

Now though, as soon as Oliver had touched the mirror. The familiarity of having someone reaching back, connecting, the realization hit him. Oliver knew what had been missing in an instant. And it was bittersweet.

 _I can't just miss my brother?_ Gene asked.

Oliver stared back at his brother with a blank expression.

Gene's grin faltered. Despite his efforts Oliver was unable to appear as apathetic as Gene knew his brother to be capable of. Gene didn't need to guess at the reasoning behind Oliver's struggle. Gene felt an urge to pick up the pace. Gene could tell this meeting was not easy for Oliver either. If in a different context.

Ignoring the growing pain in his chest Gene settled his face in a similar stoic expression.

 _Oliver_ , Gene began. Instantly catching his brother's attention with the use of his full name. _Can you do me a favor?_

Oliver's reply was dry, but immediate. _Yes._

Gene felt the earnestness of the reply. As if it had been chiseled in stone. Once set down, it became permanent. Gene's grin returned.

 _Teach Mai to dance._

Oliver's face darkened. _Gene_ , he made sure to push his displeasure through the link. It rolled off him like a heavy heat that he fed towards the other consciousness. _I thought this was going to be something important._

 _This_ is _important. You told that poor girl that she had to go to a formal dinner_ and _dance and you didn't even offer to help her. That isn't very gentlemanly of you._ Gene admonished him. Pushing dark and cool guilt back towards Oliver and dousing the heat that Oliver had been sending Gene's way.

 _Since when have you been concerned with my appearing gentlemanly?_ Oliver countered.

 _Well you are the only hope for the Davis line now-_

Oliver dropped his hand. The door between them slamming shut. Gene glared back, Oliver could tell Gene had more he wanted to say. Oliver ignored this and took a step back. Turning his gaze back to the large window. The hollowness wasn't as bad when it had been sought out.

Two cleansing breaths later Oliver turned back to the glass. Properly composed and ready to finish this discourse.

Gene's hand was flush against the far side of the mirror. His palm white from the pressure and his other hand was waving as his mouth flapped open and closed.

After a moment more of observation Oliver acquiesced to his brother's silent pleas and pressed his own finger tips against the image of Gene's. The glass was warm to the touch. Oliver noted this briefly to himself. He wondered if their contact unconsciously leaked some PK from him? Or perhaps this had just been the spot where his hand had been previously? He decided to think on it another time.

The connection restored, Oliver was acutely aware of just how displeasing Gene had found the disconnect to be. Gene's connection now left a sour taste in Oliver's mouth. It felt coiled and unstable. The sharp bite of pain nipping dangerously close.

 _It was just a joke Noll. You didn't have to throw a fit._ Oliver thought about mentioning what constituted throwing a fit, but decided against it.

Oliver felt the link start to dim. As if Gene's grip was slipping. Oliver tightened his own grip, making up for the loss.

 _Gene?_ Oliver watched his brother's eyes slide close and hold for a moment before they creaked open again.

 _I'm tired._ Gene's reply oozed along the connection and drenched Oliver in a lethargy that made his bones ache and his head so heavy it was a struggle to keep it from lulling forward.

Oliver pushed back against the exhaustion. Tugging at the connection. Gene's head dipped forward. But he jerked it back up and gave it a slight shake.

 _Mai. Dance._ Gene sent once more. Oliver could feel the force of the push behind it, but it was a pittance compared to the earlier effort. _Really,_ Gene continued. _Important. You—_

* * *

This one is shorter, sorry.

But part three is longer than one and two combined!

Thank you so much to my reviewers for the first chapter! Snowy Akira, FrenchCirce(dear heart), DarkDreams55, randomness2325, and of course the mysterious "someone".


	3. Three

_**THREE.**_

Mai groaned as her head rolled back and forth on her arms jarring her from the sleep she so desperately clung to.

"Five more minutes." She mumbled grabbing the fabric of the couch cushion to better cement herself on the furniture.

The next moment she could feel her perch moving again. Her eye's shot open, the unwelcome and involuntary movement jolting her awake.

Mai squinted against the sunset that was pouring in through the window. She could make out the blurry shape of a figure. A dark spot against the bright light streaming in around them.

The figure moved and the blinds fell over the window. Bathing the room in relative darkness. Mai found her eyes once again struggling to adjust.

A cold blue stare greeted her once she could see clearly again.

"Naru?" Mai asked. She rubbed at her face. A small part of her brain reminded her that she should be embarrassed and apologize for sleeping at work. But she could barely hear it over her yawn.

Oliver watched as Mai worked her jaw with what he could only assume was some sort of attempt at conversation before she continued to blink bleary eyed at him.

He merely stared back.

"Sorry," She said with her hand in front of her mouth. "What time is it?"

Their eyes held one another's for a moment longer. Mai found the golden glow of the sunset back lighting his face to be far too distracting.

"Mai, Tea." Oliver stated before he turned and walked back to his office.

Mai's face scrunched in a frown and she let out a small growl as she headed into the kitchenette.

It wasn't until she came back, tea in hand. That she noticed the critical change to the main office space that she how somehow missed before.

Every single piece of furniture had been moved flush against the walls.

Even the couch she had been sleeping on. She realized that must have been what had woken her up.

Noticing the slowing of her steps Oliver looked over his shoulder at her from across the room one eyebrow arched inquisitively.

Nervous energy began to buzz in her chest. Mai looked around the room hoping for a distraction.

"Where's Lin?"

Oliver finished with the computer in front of him and approached her.

"I sent him home." He answered matter-of-factly, reaching out for his tea. The buzzing intensified. "We are the only ones here."

Mai felt a jolt as the jittery energy exploded, goose flesh raising allover her body, her heart hammering in an erratic pattern.

Oliver wrapped his fingers around the cup just in time to catch it as it slid from her grip.

"What…"Unable to speak any further Mai spread her arm to take in the rearranged room.

"Dancing requires a certain amount of space. I made sure to make it extra wide lest you should find a way to trip over something." Oliver took a sip from his tea his eyes still locked on Mai.

Mai's fingers twitched, the tips felt numb. She clenched and unclenched them hoping to restore feeling.

Oliver hadn't stepped away as he continued to enjoy his drink. And if he was being completely honest with himself, he was enjoying Mai's attempts at stifling her fidgeting as well. The twitchy energy was nearly palpable and Oliver felt the hairs on his arms raise in response. He found a strange sense of comfort in her disquiet. It was proving a more than adequate distraction from his own proximity uneasiness. He wondered how long he could stand this close. How long until his own anxiety made space for itself between them?

Mai found herself immobilized as he continued to stand less than an arm's length away. She was dumbfounded as to why Oliver would set this up. Other than a quick command of, 'You will be expected to waltz' when he had first mentioned the dinner Oliver had avoided nearly all discussion on the impending event. Mai wondered if Eugene had spoken to Oliver. It made sense, Gene had told her to ask for Oliver's help, but she had remained noncommittal.

Finishing his cup Oliver turned away and set it on the pushed aside coffee table. Mai took a deep breath, realizing that her lungs had forgotten to function in the waning light which had insisted on reflecting in Oliver's eyes.

"But why?" Mai asked, her voice still airy and fried by her nerves.

Oliver turned back to her and Mai felt her heart stop. She tried to convince herself that it was a trick of the shadows. Or that her flustered energy had finally scrambled her brain.

Oliver, was smiling. He took a step closer to her.

Mai dug her fingernails into the palm of her hand. Testing to see if she would wake up.

Oliver's hand came up and gave her forehead a slight tap. "You need a teacher."

Mai found herself smiling back, face burning.

Oliver brought his hand down to her chin. Mai's breath caught as his other pressed against her back.

"Posture is important, you have to hold this. Mai." Oliver pressed his palm harder into her back forcing her to stand straighter while pinching her chin to hold it in place.

Mai wanted to scream, but she found her jaw clenched in irritation. Rage intensified the energy coursing through her and her nails bit deeper into her palms.

Oliver took a quick step back. "Arms up." He barked.

Mai complied.

Oliver crossed is arms and took his chin in hand. Mai found her anger redouble at the scrutiny.

"Adequate." He said walking around her. "Now. Begin with the right."

Two hours later, Mai's feet were aching and her head was spinning even when she wasn't.

"Again." Oliver demanded.

"Naru." Mai whined. "Can't we stop for tonight? It's late."

Oliver glared at her. "Again."

Mai raised her arms and made a silent vow to get back at both of the twins for this humiliating and miserable situation.

Stepping back with her right Mai resumed her solitary revolutions around the room.

Not surprisingly, Oliver's teaching methods were very different from Eugene's. Gene had pulled her along allowing her feet to catch up with them at the expense of his own. Oliver's approach was far more detached and clinical. Other than the occasional flick to her back when she started slouching Oliver had kept his distance. Observing her movements with his ever present critical eye.

"Stop."

Mai wondered, how had she let herself get so worked up about this earlier? She had let her heart get carried away with romantic notions. She knew better than to think that Oliver was going to take her in his arms and carry her across the room. She knew better, but she had let her supercilious heart get the best of her anyway. But that smile.

"I said stop."

Mai knew it was all that smile's fault. There should be a law prohibiting him from flashing a real smile like that in such delicate situations.

"Mai!"

Mai turned her head towards the call as the back of her legs met with the edge of the couch and she fell backwards onto the material.

Back where she had started mere hours ago. Mai looked up to the sullen face Oliver standing over her.

"Perhaps I should have moved the furniture into the other room." Oliver said before turning away and heading back to the window.

"Sorry," Mai was sick of hearing that word come out of her own mouth. With heavy limbs and a heavy heart Mai pulled herself back up from the couch. "I just want to go home, Naru. I'm too tired. Let's try again tomorrow, ok?"

After the sun had finished its decent earlier Oliver had reopened the blinds. He had been taking moments to stop and stare out at the city lights whenever his annoyance with her ineptitude peaked.

"I should have known better," he started his voice cold. "Your clumsy nature prohibits you from truly achieving a graceful form."

Mai scowled.

"I was an idiot to think that I could teach you." Oliver said his voice clipped as his anger grew.

Mai's back went ridged. Hot tears stung her eyes.

After all this work, all this time. He was giving up on her. He had been rude before, but this hurt more.

It was one thing to think she was ignorant. It was quite another to say she was unteachable. She had been trying her hardest to perform every task he had commanded of her. She kept her mouth shut. She hadn't even complained once.

Did he appreciate it?

No. He tells her she is hopeless.

Oliver hit the light switch casting the room back into darkness.

Her finger shot out accusatorily in what she hoped was still his direction. She wanted to tell him just where he could shove his ridiculous dance lessons.

But she couldn't see anymore and her lip had developed a very annoying tremble.

"I was an idiot." Oliver's voice came from closer than Mai had expected. A warm hand took hold of the one she had brandished. Fingers interweaving with her own. "What you need, is a partner."

Shock traveled down her arm and radiated out from her back where Oliver had once more pressed his palm against her.

A sharp tug on Oliver's part closed the gap between them. Mai looked up, too confused to be concerned with the heat she felt radiating off of her own cheeks. His face was turned away, eyes locked across the room. Despite the dark Mai could see the tight set of his jaw and she could feel the rigidity with which he held her.

Mai stared at Oliver's face and began to feel all of the shock and the anger drain away. She realized that he must be just as uncomfortable as she was.

His hands twitched, nearly letting go of hers then squeezing far too tight. His palm on her back was hot like an iron and trembled as well.

Oliver was trying so hard to maintain his cool façade, but Mai could see the exertion radiate off of him. Mai's heart swelled. It was endearing to be reminded that Oliver struggled too some times.

Mai pushed back in an attempt to detangle herself from him.

Oliver tightened his grip.

"It's ok, Naru. You don't have to—"

"It is proper form." He interrupted stiffly.

"Screw proper form. I want you to be comfortable. How can we dance if you are terrified the whole time?"

"Don't be ridiculous, I'm not ter—"

Mai put her free hand on his chest and Oliver visibly jumped his eyes squeezing shut.

Two hours. Two hours, he had prepared himself for this. He had watched Mai moving around the room more than adequately performing the steps for a majority of the time. He should had tested her partner skills after the first few minutes. But he found himself unable to propose the idea. Instead all he could do was find some perceived fault and shout 'again!' Growing angrier at himself each time.

After all that wasted time he had found the nerve to move forward. Only to falter immediately. What was he even doing here? He should never have agreed to this.

She wanted him to be comfortable? How could _she_ be comfortable at this moment?

Perhaps they should give up.

Oliver opened his eyes and finally turned his head to look at Mai. A beam of light from his desk lamp in the other room fell across her face and made her eyes sparkle. She looked as if she were glowing. Her soft smile wiping away Oliver's previous thoughts.

His panic subsided, quelled by his inquisitive nature. How could she appear so contented? From what source could she be deriving pleasure?

Distracted, his grip relaxed and he found himself letting her slide free her face falling back into the shadows.

Mai stopped and held her hand parallel to his own, hovering slightly below it.

"We could fake it see?"

"That is stupid." Oliver replied. "I will be fine, I assure you." He continued before she could argue.

For a third time Oliver took her hand and prepared to dance.

"Begin." Oliver instructed, moving his foot forward. Seamlessly Mai followed his lead and they began to whirl around the room.

Mai was quiet. At first, she focused heavily on her feet terrified she would afflict Oliver in the same way she had his brother or that she would send them careening into a shadow that turned out to be a large piece of furniture.

But her mind soon wandered. Distracted by the rhythmic way the light from the other room would flash across Oliver's face as they moved. She wanted to see if he was happy. Or at least contented with the situation. The brief glimpses she had of his face, while highly compelling, did little to provide insight into his mood.

After a few moments more Mai gathered the courage to ask. "Are you ok? Should we stop?"

The soft measured sounds of their movements went uninterrupted.

"Naru—" Mai began, but he cut her off.

"Fine." He replied his voice brisk.

She scrutinized his features searching for some clue as to the validity of that claim.

"But thank you for offering." Oliver said his voice soft as he looked down at her. The light flashed across his face once more and Mai had to stifle a gasp.

The smile was back.

"We are going to try a spin in four steps." Oliver continued. "Prepare yourself. 3-2.—"

Mai allowed herself to be pulled to the side, her body pivoting on the ball of her foot as the room revolved around her.

"Good. Now back to the steps." He instructed. Mai complied, and they returned to their previous pattern.

Mai felt as if she was floating. Her mind and body were wrapped in a haze of contented exhaustion. But she didn't want to stop.

She never wanted to stop.

Mai's eyes slid closed and her head dipped slightly.

"Mai, posture." Oliver reminded her.

"Yes." Mai mumbled her head jerking back up. "Naru?"

"Mai." He replied.

"Why are you dancing with me?"

"Because I am helping you, idiot."

"No, at the dinner." She asked watching his face once more. She hoped he was happy. It would be awful to think that she would have to put him through something he detested more than once.

"Focus on right now Mai."

Mai's eyes slid shut again, her step wavering.

Oliver eyed her askance.

Mai's head fell onto Oliver's chest and she let out a tired mumble of "—Happy?"

Oliver stopped. Gene's last words ringing in his head.

 _Important. You. Happy._

Oliver had not truly thought on the emotion for some time. He had no difficulties when it came to meeting his basic needs. Food was plentiful. Rest easy to come by when necessary. His work provided appropriate mental stimulation. He was sated, but was that the same as happy?

Oliver shook his head, this was a ridiculous train of thought anyway. He did not require some form of emotional label in order to give his days value. The satisfaction was in the work, the job well done.

Mai, already unconscious, began to slide and Oliver shifted the girl in his arms before she fell from his grip. He took the opportunity to look down at her halcyon expression.

He did know happy.

Happy was watching Mai's face twitch when he said 'Mai, Tea'. The way she bit her lip in an attempt not to yell at him. The fact that she failed and yelled anyway. The completely different way she bit her lip when she was trying to solve something. Even the way she berated him when she thought he was wrong. Her ability to care so strongly for others. It was fascinating. How did she do it? Why did she do it?

Happy was… Mai.

Oliver held Mai tightly, his focus no longer on the risk of her falling. Instead he memorized how it felt to have her pressed against him. His uneasiness wasn't gone, but it was restrained. And for once he found that he could ignore it as it pounded against its containment. He used the opportunity to observe his own bizarre reactions and came to a startling conclusion.

The closeness wasn't as bad when it had been sought out.

Oliver led Mai to the couch and settled her across its cushions.

The movement caused Mai to stir. Her hand grasped Oliver's arm as he pulled away from her.

"Why?" Mai asked again.

Oliver expected to find her talking in her sleep. But her eyes, while bleary, stared back at him.

Oliver felt a genuine smile split his face for a third time that evening.

He gave her forehead a gentle tap.

"Because, it would make me happy."

* * *

Here we are part 3. I hope you guys enjoy.

Thanks so much to mysticalphoenix-avalon and Samantha-Girl Scout (whom this was written for on the GH exchange in the first place) for the lovely reviews!


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